Broadway in Cincinnati - 2019/2020 Program

2019/2020 Series Magazine

HEAR THE PEOPLE SING The new production of Les Misèrables returns

Remarkable True Story

So Fetch

Journey to the past

Come From Away and the power of human kindness

Tina Fey’s humor shines in Mean Girls

Sweeping romance Anastasia comes to the Aronoff.

Fins Up! Jimmy Buffett’s Escape to Margaritaville includes nods to the Queen City

Unforgettable memory care.

Maplewood, offers a light, West Coast-style inspired menu in an elegant setting close to the theater and other downtown attractions. Our menu features breakfast, lunch, and dinner items, plus offers house made cocktails,

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local beers, and a classic wine list.

Our order-first setup will get you in and out quickly to catch the show, or will allow you to escape for as long as you want. If you prefer dining at our other restaurants in OTR, we have several tables available each night through Opentable.

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WELCOME

22 CONTENTS

Come together for the 19/20 season.

On September 11, 2001, Delta flight 37 departed London Gatwick bound for Cincinnati. Over the Atlantic, the crew was advised that there had been an incident in the United States, and U.S. airspace was now closed. That flight, along with 37 other planes, landed in Gander, Newfoundland, a small town on an island on the east coast of Canada.

Those passengers bound for Cincinnati, along with more than 6,500 other stranded passengers, ended up staying for days, welcomed and cared for by the kind residents of Gander.

It’s a true story. A story of our own neighbors who were welcomed by strangers. And that’s the story told in the remarkable new Broadway hit musical Come From Away. This incredible show opens our 19/20 season, and we couldn’t be more excited to share it with Cincinnati.

In this magazine, you’ll find details about all shows we have coming to the Aronoff next season. The lineup includes a healthy dose of Tina Fey’s signature humor in Mean Girls, the exquisite new production of Hello, Dolly!, the gorgeous new musical Anastasia, the long-awaited return of Les Misérables and an acclaimed new production of Jesus Christ Superstar.

We’ve also got a special treat for the Queen City. Local Parrotheads know that Cincinnati and Jimmy Buffett go together like, well, margaritas and salt. He even cites us in his hit song “Fins.” We couldn’t be happier to be bringing Jimmy’s delightful Escape to Margaritaville to town, a tropical getaway of a musical that even features some scenes set in Cincinnati.

We’re also proud to bring the return of The Lion King for a featured four-week engagement, as well as the sensational musical Jersey Boys and a special return engagement of The Book of Mormon.

The lights have never been brighter at Broadway in Cincinnati, and we’d love for you to be part of the fun. Subscriptions are now available starting at just $200 for a seven-show package. You can secure your seats today at BroadwayInCincinnati.com.

Enjoy learning more about our upcoming shows inside, and we look forward to seeing you at the theater!

Genevieve Miller Holt General Manager - Midwest, Broadway In Cincinnati

2 A Word From Our Sponsors 6 Come From Away 8 Jersey Boys 10 Mean Girls 12 Hello, Dolly!

14 Disney’s The Lion King 16 Les Misérables 18 Escape to Margaritaville 20 Anastasia 22 Jesus Christ Superstar 24 The Book of Mormon

KEEP IN TOUCH /BroadwayInCincinnati

ABOUT BROADWAY IN CINCINNATI Fifth Third Bank Broadway in Cincinnati presented by TriHealth is committed to bringing the very best of Broadway to the Queen City. Over the past 32 years, Cincinnatians have attended more than 3,250 Broadway in Cincinnati performances, including blockbusters like Hamilton, Wicked, The Phantom of the Opera, and The Lion King. We’ve proudly presented classics such as West Side Story and My Fair Lady, as well as today’s most popular new shows, including Beautiful: The Carole King Musical and Dear Evan Hansen.

On average, we welcome more than 300,000 guests to Broadway shows each year, contributing an estimated $55 million in economic impact to the greater Cincinnati region.

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@BroadwayCincy @broadwaycincy

BroadwayInCincinnati.com

Cover Image: The company of Les Misérables performs “One Day More.” Photo by Matthew Murphy. Photographs: (TOP LEFT) Photograph courtesy of Broadway in Cincinnati / (TOP RIGHT) Nia Holloway as “Nala” and Jared Dixon as “Simba” in The Lion King North American Tour. ©Disney. Photo Credit: Deen van Meer.

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A WORD FROM OUR SPONSORS Dear Greater Cincinnati Patrons of the Arts:

Dear Fellow Art Lovers:

Fifth Third Bank is proud to have been the title sponsor of Broadway productions in Cincinnati since the first curtain call.

Supporting Cincinnati’s vibrant arts community is key to the revitalization of our urban core. This is economic development in action, attracting visitors and tourism dollars; as well as enriching our lives and the reputation of our city as an attractive home for families and businesses.

At Fifth Third Bank, we are dedicated to continually improving the lives of our customers and the well-being of the communities we serve. Our commitment to the Broadway series is an important investment in building a stronger Cincinnati.

We would be delighted to have you join us in this celebration of the arts. We hope you enjoy the Fifth Third Bank Broadway in Cincinnati season.

It’s part of how we help make our Queen City a Fifth Third Better! See you at the show!

TriHealth is excited to once again present the Broadway series in Cincinnati. At TriHealth, we believe the health of individuals and the vibrancy of a community are affected by many factors. And a well-balanced life—rich in the arts with stimulating and uplifting entertainment—is one of those factors.

At TriHealth, we partner with nonprofit organizations and businesses throughout the region to get health care right for Greater Cincinnati by tirelessly working to provide better care, better health, and better value. Our more than 12,000 physicians, nurses, team members, and volunteers are committed to providing you and your loved ones the best possible care at our six hospitals and more than 130 ambulatory centers and physician offices.

We hope you enjoy the 2019/2020 season of Broadway in Cincinnati—with an expansive lineup of shows, ranging from the classic Les Misérables to the moving new musical Come From Away, designed to appeal to the full range of tastes. It’s our sincere hope and belief that our support of Broadway in Cincinnati is another demonstration of how TriHealth invests in the overall health of our community.

Tim Elsbrock Regional President Greater Cincinnati Fifth Third Bank

Mark Clement President & Chief Executive Officer, TriHealth

TriHealth Primary Locations: Bethesda North Hospital, Good Samaritan Hospital, TriHealth Evendale Hospital, Bethesda Butler Hospital, McCullough-Hyde Memorial Hospital, Bethesda Arrow Springs, Good Samaritan Western Ridge, Good Samaritan Glenway, TriHealth Anderson, TriHealth Kenwood, TriHealth Fitness & Health Pavilion, TriHealth Physician Partners, TriHealth Priority Care

Broadway in Cincinnati Staff GENERAL MANAGER, MIDWEST, BROADWAY ACROSS AMERICA

SENIOR GROUP SALES MANAGER, BROADWAY IN CINCINNATI

Genevieve Miller Holt

Peggy Hughes

DIRECTOR OF REGIONAL MARKETING & PUBLIC RELATIONS, BROADWAY IN CINCINNATI

MARKETING & PUBLIC RELATIONS ASSISTANT, BROADWAY IN CINCINNATI

Elizabeth Truitt Armstrong

Kelly Holtgrefe

This program was published in cooperation with Broadway in Cincinnati by Cincinnati Magazine.

All contents © 2019. All rights reserved.

“Broadway in Cincinnati” is a registered trademark of The John Gore Organization. All rights reserved.

Cincinnati Magazine Staff PUBLISHER Ivy Bayer

BUSINESS COORDINATOR Erica Birkle

DIRECTOR OF EDITORIAL OPERATIONS Amanda Boyd Walters

ADVERTISING DESIGNER Stephanie Youngquist

SENIOR ART DIRECTOR Emi Villavincencio

SENIOR ACCOUNT MANAGER Maggie Wint Goecke

PRODUCTION DIRECTOR & IT SYSTEMS ADMINISTRATOR Vu Luong

SENIOR ACCOUNT REPRESENTATIVES Ashley Hinzman, Catherine Pritchard

OPERATIONS DIRECTOR Missy Beiting

ACCOUNT REPRESENTATIVE Paige Bucheit

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SENIOR OUTSIDE ACCOUNT REPRESENTATIVE Laura Bowling

441 Vine St., Suite 200 Cincinnati, OH 45202 513.421.4300 • 513.562.2788 fax cincinnatimagazine.com

19/20 SEASON

September 17 - 29, 2019

November 5 - 17, 2019

THE MUSICAL PHENOMENON

December 3 - 15, 2019

February 11 - 23, 2020

May 12 - 24, 2020

June 9 - 21, 2020

SEASON OPTION

SEASON OPTION JIMMY BUFFETT’S

THE STORY OF FRANKIE VALLI & THE FOUR SEASONS October 15 - 20, 2019

Set Your Mind on Island Time.

April 14 - 19, 2020

SPECIAL ENGAGEMENTS

January 8 - February 2, 2020

August 4 - 9, 2020

BroadwayInCincinnati.com • 800.294.1816

COME FROM AWAY SEPTEMBER 17–29, 2019

OPENING HEARTS AND HOMES Married writing team David Hein and Irene Sankoff reflect on creating Come From Away in a conversation with Kathrine Nero

David Hein: A friend turned us on to this story about all of these thousands of people who had been diverted to a small town in Canada on 9/11 when the U.S. airspace was closed. And we heard that all these people who had been on those planes were returning to the town of Gander, Newfoundland, on the 10th anniversary. We went out there and we interviewed as many people as we possibly could. What we found was this incredible true story about a tiny little town welcoming the world, welcoming thousands of people. Their population doubled that day. And they gave them everything they possibly could. It’s this amazing story about people giving kindness in response to tragedy.

KN: This story is not about 9/11.

It’s about the kindness that happened afterwards, isn’t it?

Irene Sankoff: Yes, we talk about it more like a 9/12 story. It’s people’s response to a tragedy.

It’s a wonderful example of how in our darkest moments, we can pull together.

ABOUT THE SHOW Broadway’s Come From Away is a Best Musical winner all across North America. This New York Times Critics’ Pick takes you into the heart of the remarkable true story of 7,000 stranded passengers and the small town in Newfoundland that welcomed them.

Cultures clashed and nerves ran high, but uneasiness turned into trust, music soared into the night, and gratitude grew into enduring friendships. Don’t miss this breathtaking new musical written by Tony® nominees Irene Sankoff and David Hein, and helmed by Tony®-winning director Christopher Ashley. On 9/11, the world stopped. On 9/12, their stories moved us all.

KN: This story about Gander was one that took a long time to come out. This story is still new to thousands of people.

IS: I think a lot of it is because the Newfoundlanders who showed such kindness, they don’t think of it as anything extraordinary. They won’t brag about it. So it really took somebody else to come in and say “Hello, this was extraordinary.”

DH: We did this amazing tour of the airport, we were walking along the tarmac. At the end of it, the president of the airport said, “Now what are you doing?

You’re doing a musical about people making sandwiches?” We said, “Yeah.” And he said, “Yeah, good luck with that!” The entire

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town thought we were crazy. We knew the story was amazing, this universal story that resonates with so many people because on that day, we were all in the same boat. We all wanted to help.

KN: Have the folks from Gander seen the show?

IS: Yes. KN: What’s their reaction?

DH: They come all the time.

IS: They are shocked. The night that Prime Minister Trudeau came, again, they didn’t understand why this New York audience was giving them a standing ovation or why the Prime Minister wanted to meet each and every one of them.

PHOTOGRAPH: THE FIRST NORTH AMERICAN TOUR COMPANY OF COME FROM AWAY. PHOTO BY MAT THE W MURPHY, 2018

Kathrine Nero: Let’s start from the beginning. How did you find this story?

NEWFOUNDLAND

FA C T S The province of Newfoundland and Labrador has its own dictionary. The province’s language and dialect are so diverse, different communities spread throughout the island often have their own unique accents.

Newfoundland has no crickets, porcupines, skunks, snakes, or deer. It does, however, have over 100,000 moose. They were introduced over 100 years ago.

The island has its own time zone, 30 minutes ahead of Atlantic Standard Time.

The first known European presence in North America was not Christopher Columbus, but rather the Vikings.

They arrived at L’ase aux Meadows, located at the very northern tip of the island, which is believed to be the location of a Viking colony. It was discovered in 1960 and it is believed that the settlement was founded around the year 1,000.

PHOTOGRAPHS: THE FIRST NORTH AMERICAN TOUR COMPANY OF COME FROM AWAY. PHOTO BY MAT THE W MURPHY, 2018

KN: What about this story stood out to you and you thought, “Yes, this is a musical.”

DH: I grew up on Newfoundland music. It is this authentic, original music. They’ve played it for hundreds of years. It incorporates fiddles, accordions and something called an ugly stick. It’s amazing. You take this 100-year-old traditional music and you put it on a Broadway stage and it’s incredible. It’s something you’ve never heard before. It’s life-affirming. Music is in the DNA of Newfoundland, so you can’t really tell a story about this place without talking about the music. They play songs and tell stories and they come together as a community to survive. That’s what they did on 9/11. They entertained these people, they celebrated friendship and love. They emerged after five days of having these people there with 7,000 family members.

They did not know who was on them. They didn’t have to take the people off the planes.

They didn’t have to take them into their houses. That’s what is astonishing to me. The risk and the bravery. It’s not the kind of bravery we celebrate very often.

DH: We wanted to say to audiences, “Come with us to Newfoundland, let us tell you about this amazing thing that happened here.” I think because of that, even though it’s grounded in what happened on those days, it becomes this response we can give to any tragedy. Every time something bad happens, it reminds you can respond with kindness. z

Newfoundland used to be an independent country. In 1907, Newfoundland was given dominion status by the U.K. along with New Zealand, Australia, and Canada and remained so until 1949 when it joined the Canadian confederation.

Gander’s town roads are shaped like the head of a goose.

Gander International Airport boasted Newfoundland’s first 24-hour liquor license and the province’s first escalator.

Nearly all of Gander’s streets are named for famous aviators, including Amelia Earhart, Alcock and Brown, Charles Lindbergh, Eddie Rickenbacker, Marc Garneau, and Chuck Yeager.

Newfoundland and Labrador was named one of the top 10 friendliest cultures in the world according to Macleans magazine.

KN: What do you want people to come away with after they see the show?

IS: I’d like people to realize how brave an act it was, this act of kindness. Yes, it’s nice, it’s generous. But, really think about the bravery on that day. They had all those planes down there.

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JERSEY BOYS OCTOBER 15–20, 2019

WHAT REALLY HAPPENED…

Forget about show-stopping finales. In Jersey Boys, the smash-hit musical about the rise and fall of The Four Seasons, the pinnacle of excitement comes about 45 minutes into the first act. That’s when back-to-back presentations of three of the group’s biggest hits—“Sherry,” “Big Girls Don’t Cry” and “Walk Like a Man”—are greeted with enough thunderous applause to start a downpour.

“At that moment the audience has forgotten they’re watching four actors and they root for these guys as though they really are The Four Seasons in their youth,” says Rick Elice, one of the show’s book writers.

“The response is so sincere and enthusiastic and over the top that it’s impossible to believe anything else.”

It’s also somewhat surprising.

After all, The Four Seasons may have been one of the most successful groups of the 1960s, but history hasn’t institutionalized them the way it has the Beatles

or other bands of the era. But Elice thinks that’s one reason why fans are so hungry for their music and the incredible story of four Italian-American kids from the wrong side of the New Jersey tracks who could just as easily have ended up in prison as on the pop charts.

While other musicals have tried to capitalize on a group’s catalog of songs by integrating them into the plot, writers Elice, Marshall Brickman and director Des McAnuff agreed that their staging should be presentational, as if The Four Seasons were performing the songs to an audience, not singing them from one character to another.

“In the first act the songs are presented pretty much chronologically, as they took place within the life of the band,” explains Elice. “In the second act the music is more cunningly chosen to reflect either directly or by contrast what the band is going through at the point where things start to fall apart.”

ABOUT THE SHOW They were just four guys from Jersey, until they sang their very first note. They had a sound nobody had ever heard…and the radio just couldn’t get enough of. But while their harmonies were perfect on stage, off stage it was a very different story—a story that has made them an international sensation all over again.

Go behind the music and inside the story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons in the Tony Award®-winning true-life musical phenomenon, Jersey Boys. From the streets of New Jersey to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, this is the musical that’s just too good to be true.

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Jersey Boys was born when Elice was contacted by a former client who had the option on The Four Seasons catalog. But as he and Brickman interviewed the three surviving Seasons, they faced a predicament over how to tell the group’s “true” story when they couldn’t even figure out what it was.

Elice and Brickman met with Bob Gaudio and Frankie Valli, the two Seasons who, way back when, formed a business partnership with a handshake that still stands today. “They started to describe what it was like to be blue-collar kids, first-generation Americans, Roman Catholic, high school dropouts who were flirting with careers in crime,” Elice recounts. “It was the archetypal American rags-to-riches story: You start with nothing, achieve success and then try to navigate your life through the waters of success.”

But when they contacted Tommy DeVito, the initial driving force behind the group until gambling debts put him on the outs with the mob, “He said, ‘Don’t listen to them, I’ll tell you what really happened,’ ” Elice recalls. That’s when they decided to structure the show the Rashomon way, by letting each character tell his own account. As Tommy says at the beginning of the show, “You ask four guys, you get four different versions.” z

PHOTOGRAPH: (L TO R) ERIC CHAMBLISS, JONNY WE XLER, COREY GREENAN, JONATHAN CABLE AND THE COMPANY OF JERSEY BOYS. PHOTO BY JOAN MARCUS.

Writer Rick Elice talks about the Jersey Boys phenomenon

By Diane Snyder

MEAN GIRLS

GIVING FAN FAVORITES A VOICE TO SING Composer Jeff Richmond talks with Kathrine Nero about creating Mean Girls Kathrine Nero: What is the story of Mean Girls?

Jeff Richmond: Mean Girls is a story of a young lady named Cady Heron, who grew up in the African jungle with her scientist parents. She has had no real contact with people or the kind of norms that we normally experience in society. She ends up being lifted out of Africa because her parents get a job, and she’s thrown into the middle of a different kind of jungle setting: American high school. She is 14 or 15 years old, and she gets dumped into this vicious place.

She ends up learning how to find friends, who to avoid, who’s going to be good to her and who’s not. And it’s all done with big, flashy musical numbers and a lot of comedy.

KN: What were the things you wanted to keep from the original film, and what did you want to change?

JR: We wanted to keep many of the elements of the movie that people really enjoyed, because it’s such a beloved film. So we tried to keep much of that, but still make it its own thing, which can be a difficult adaptive process. But we also felt that we could dig into the story a little bit more because when people sing, they can naturally get a little bit deeper into the emotional world on stage. We wanted to be able to explore the

characters’ emotions and what made them tick, and we could do that even more in song than you could in a movie.

KN: Might fans of the movie be surprised at how we look at characters differently when you add that musical, emotional component to it?

JR: When you start to add singing and dancing into something, everything gets bigger and better. For example, Damian is

ABOUT THE SHOW Direct from Broadway, Mean Girls is the hilarious hit musical from an award-winning creative team, including book writer Tina Fey (“30 Rock”), composer Jeff Richmond (“Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”), lyricist Nell Benjamin (Legally Blonde) and director Casey Nicholaw (The Book of Mormon). Cady Heron may have grown up on an African savanna, but nothing prepared her for the vicious ways of her strange new home: suburban Illinois.

Soon, this naïve newbie falls prey to a trio of lionized frenemies led by the charming but ruthless Regina George. But when Cady devises a plan to end Regina’s reign, she learns the hard way that you can’t cross a Queen Bee without getting stung.

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PHOTOGRAPH: MEAN GIRLS BOOK BY TINA FEY, MUSIC BY JEFF RICHMOND, LYRICS BY NELL BENJAMIN, DIRECTED & CHOREOGRAPHED BY CASEY NICHOL AW. PICTURED (L-R) : ERIK A HENNINGSEN (CADY HERON) , ASHLEY PARK (GRETCHEN WIENERS) , TAYLOR LOUDERMAN (REGINA GEORGE) , AND K ATE ROCK WELL (K AREN SMITH). CREDIT: © 2017 JOAN MARCUS.

NOVEMBER 5–17, 2019

think they’d sound if they did sing. So, Damian sounds like big, flashy Broadway numbers; Janis sounds like she comes from kind of a punk, edgy world. Some people sound like they’re from pop, other people sound like hard edge rock and roll. But it all adds up.

KN: What do you want people to come away with after seeing the show?

JR: I think I can speak for the entire creative team that we want them to come away feeling like they’ve just been through something that was so fun, they laughed hard all night, but that they felt something at the end of the evening.

PHOTOGRAPHS: MEAN GIRLS BOOK BY TINA FEY, MUSIC BY JEFF RICHMOND, LYRICS BY NELL BENJAMIN, DIRECTED & CHOREOGRAPHED BY CASEY NICHOL AW. CREDIT: © 2018 JOAN MARCUS. PICTURED (L-R) : K YLE SELIG (A ARON SAMUELS) AND ERIK A HENNINGSEN (CADY HERON). / PICTURED (L-R) : GREY HENSON (DAMIAN HUBBARD) , AND BARRET T WILBERT WEED (JANIS SARKISIAN).

KN: Is this a play that middle and high schoolers should come to see? Should parents bring the whole family?

a character in the movie that everybody knows. He’s a little flamboyant, and we all love the guy, he’s funny. But when you put him in a context of a musical comedy, suddenly this guy is doing huge musical comedy tap numbers. I think people will be able to see that and go: “That’s exactly what I thought that guy would do if he was in a musical.” And then on the other side of that, you see a character like Regina George who’s this villain…she’s got a lot of levels to her. She’s not all bad, she’s not all good, but to see her in this setting and singing like a James Bond villain, I think that people will find those moments exciting. There’s lots of singing, lots of dancing, and lots of Tina Fey point-of-view jokes.

KN: Let’s talk about Tina Fey. You guys have been married for a long time. She wrote the film years ago. What was the collaboration like in getting the style of music together, and getting this up onto the stage?

JR: It was our first musical collaborative effort. We’ve done a lot of things in television together, but it was Tina’s first writing of a book for a musical. She comes from a theater background, as do I, but actually jumping in and writing a book for a musical is kind of a different setting. So we were able to guide where we thought the songs would be and where felt like it needed to be dialogue because you wanted to work in a joke, or where it felt like it needed to be a song because the character was in an emotional place where they just had to sing. It was great. The whole creative team was really fun to be around because it was Tina Fey, who’s fun all the time, Nell Benjamin, who’s the lyricist, and Casey Nicholaw, the director. All great, and we all felt out a way that we could guide each other.

As far as the styles of songs in the show, we wanted to come from a place that felt very honest and make sure all the characters sounded how you’d

JR: Absolutely! They should bring the whole family. As a matter of fact, what we’ve really found—and this has been such a fun discovery on Broadway—is that our audience has so many young people. Eight-year-olds, middle school kids, all these kids want to drag their parents to see it. It is definitely a show for the whole family.

KN: And parents will like it too?

JR: Oh my gosh, parents will love it. It’s just got those kind of jokes that the parents can sit back and enjoy too. z

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HELLO, DOLLY! DECEMBER 3–15, 2019

Winner of four Tony Awards® including Best Musical Revival, director Jerry Zaks’ “gorgeous” new production (Vogue) of Hello, Dolly! is a universally acclaimed smash that NPR calls “the best show of the year.” Breaking box office records week after week and receiving unanimous raves on Broadway, this Hello, Dolly! pays tribute to the original work of legendary director/ choreographer Gower Champion—hailed both then and now as one of the greatest stagings in musical theater history. Rolling Stone calls it “a must-see event. A musical comedy dream. If you’re lucky enough to score a ticket, you’ll be seeing something historic. Wow, wow, wow, indeed!”

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PHOTOGRAPHS: HELLO, DOLLY! NATIONAL TOUR COMPANY. PHOTOS BY JULIETA CERVANTES, 2018.

ABOUT THE SHOW

HELLO, DOLLY! HISTORY January 16, 1964

THE NEW MUSICAL COMEDY Hello, Dolly! starring Carol Channing opens at the St. James Theatre following tryout engagements at the Fisher in Detroit and the National in Washington, D.C.

May 24, 1964

A NEW RECORD Hello, Dolly! sets a new record for most Antoinette Perry Awards won by a show.

TEN TONYS IN ALL: Best Musical, Best Composer and Lyricist, Best Author, Best Direction, Best Choreography, Best Scenic Design, Best Costume Design, Best Conductor, Best Producer and Best Actress.

October 10, 1965

INTERNATIONAL INCIDENT Hello, Dolly! makes front page news when the touring company headed by Mary Martin begins a special State Department tour performing at U.S. military bases in Saigon, Vietnam, as well as Tokyo, Korea, and London.

December 27, 1970

2,844 PERFORMANCES Hello, Dolly! closes at the St. James after 2,844 performances, having shattered the record for the longest-running musical in Broadway history formally held by My Fair Lady.

April 20, 2017

BACK WHERE THEY BELONG Hello, Dolly! starring Bette Midler opens at the Shubert Theatre. The new production is directed by Jerry Zaks, choreographed by Warren Carlyle, has sets and costumes designed by Santo Loquasto, lights designed by Natasha Katz, and musical direction by Andy Einhorn.

June 11, 2017

TONY AWARDS The 2017 revival wins four Tony Awards, including Best Revival of a Musical, Best Actress in a Musical, Best Featured Actor in a Musical and Best Costume Design of a Musical.

October 5, 2018

NATIONAL TOUR LAUNCHES On Friday, October 5th, 2018 the national tour of Hello, Dolly! launches at the Playhouse Square Theatre in Cleveland.

B R O A D WAY I N C I N C I N N AT I . C O M

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THE LION KING

THE WORLD’S NO. 1 MUSICAL IS HERE Experience the phenomenon.

The eagerly awaited return of this glorious stage production is ready to leap again onto the stage at the Aronoff Center.

Visually stunning, technically astounding, and with a musical score like none other you’ve ever heard.

Giraffes strut, birds swoop, gazelles leap. The entire savannah comes to life, and as the music soars, Pride Rock slowly emerges from the mist. See the Tony® Award–winning Broadway sensation that Newsweek calls “a landmark event in entertainment.” The New York Times says, “There is simply nothing else like it.” Marvel at the breathtaking spectacle of animals brought to life by a cast of more than 40 actors. Wonder at the inspiration of award-winning director Julie Taymor, who created visual

images for this show that you’ll remember forever. Thrill to the pulsating rhythms of the African Pridelands and an unforgettable

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score including Elton John and Tim Rice’s Oscar-winning songs “Can You Feel The Love Tonight” and “Circle of Life.” z

PHOTOGRAPH: JARED DIXON AS “SIMBA” IN THE LION KING NORTH AMERICAN TOUR. ©DISNEY. PHOTO BY DEEN VAN MEER. / BUYI Z AMA AS “RAFIKI” IN THE LION KING NORTH AMERICAN TOUR. ©DISNEY. PHOTO BY DEEN VAN MEER.

JANUARY 8–FEBRUARY 2, 2020

With just two hours until curtain, things are starting to heat up backstage. The show is celebrating its 21st year and has played for more than 95 million guests, yet each night is a new opening as the curtain rises on this singular live experience.

From stage set-up to make-up to warm up, we discover the methodical and meticulous attention paid to every component of this much-lauded show. A small army of dedicated stagehands, artists, and actors has arrived to deliver the astonishing Broadway show that is like no other.

6:30 PM

7:02 PM 7:16 PM

7:34 PM

PHOTOGRAPHS: PHOTOS BY JEFF FRIED PHOTOGRAPHY, JEFFREYFRIED.COM / “LIONESSES DANCE” IN THE LION KING NORTH AMERICAN TOUR. © DISNEY. PHOTO BY DEEN VAN MEER.

6:30 PM » The stage is set as the crew begins to assemble sets, pull costumes, and arrange props for quick scene changes, off-stage cues, and last-minute directions.

7:42 PM

7:02 PM » Cast members take the stage and begin their warm-up.

Their combination of strength, grace, and movement is a major reason this magnificent production continues to deliver a seamless marriage of entertainment and art.

7:45 PM

7:16 PM » Costumes and props rest silently, waiting to be beckoned to the stage as the "Circle Of Life” unfolds before the audience.

7:34 PM » Actors are transformed from residents of the urban jungle to inhabitants of the exotic world of the savannah.

7:42 PM » Performers complete their pre-show routine and relax before entering wardrobe.

7:45 PM » The cast assembles to take their places. As they wait behind the curtain, the sounds of theatre patrons entering and arriving at their seats call to them. The level of excitement rises in the audience and backstage.

8:00 PM » The audience is awestruck as the ensemble of Disney’s The Lion King emerge from every corner of the theatre and take their places on stage—and in the hearts of theatergoers.

FUN FACTS » Tony Award–winning director and designer Julie Taymor, along with designer Michael Curry, hand sculpted and painted every prototype mask that now appears in the iconic “Circle of Life” opening of the show. Their department of skilled mask makers, sculptors, puppeteers, and artisans spent 17,000 hours to build the characters for the original Broadway production. » The tallest animals in the show are the four 18-foot exotic giraffes from “I Just Can’t Wait to Be King.” The two giraffes in “Circle of Life” are 14 feet high. Two actors trained in stilt walking climb sixfoot ladders to fit inside the puppets, mount stilts, and enter stage left to cross the stage. » The most complicated set piece is Pride Rock, which appears five times during each performance. Pride Rock is a battery-powered set piece that expands out like an accordion to 18 feet wide at its fullest position onstage and compresses to eight feet when offstage in the wings. » There are five indigenous African languages spoken in the show: Zulu, Xhosa, Sesotho, Setswana, and Swahili.

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LES MISÉRABLES

BEYOND THE DREAM WE DREAMED The multiple award-winning Les Misérables has become a global success on stage and screen, sweeping audiences through an epic tale of broken dreams, passion, and redemption, against the backdrop of a nation seething with revolution. Les Misérables is now the longest running musical in the world. Here, writers Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg discuss the staying power of their most well-known musical.

Les Misérables started its musical life in 1980 as a concept album, which became a stage show at Le Palais des Sports, a large arena in Paris. It was a huge success, playing for three months to an audience of 200,000. We were thrilled by this unexpected outcome, and believed that it was the end of a uniquely exciting adventure. But three years later, we received a call from London.

During our first meeting to discuss the English version of Les Misérables, Cameron Mackintosh told us excitedly, “You do not realize what you have written.” He had heard a few tracks of our concept album at a friend’s house and wanted to produce the show.

That was more than 35 years

ago. Neither he nor we could have imagined that in 2018, so long after that first encounter, we would be launching yet another production of Les Misérables with a brand new company to tour North America. An unprecedented success like this cannot be explained by its creators.

This work was born in a state of grace which we were completely unconscious of at that time. Stravinsky once said, “A real creator does not know what he is doing.” We only knew that we needed to do it as much we needed to breathe, eat, and love.

The spirit of Victor Hugo protects us all. His novel proclaims its message around the world— to all nationalities, cultures, and ages. Still, it is astounding to see this young generation rush to

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the box office of a show that was written before they were born.

DID YOU KNOW? “The phrase

‘les misérables’ (ley mee-zey-ra-bluh), which has a whole range of subtly shaded meanings in French, is much better translated into English as ‘the dispossessed’ or even as ‘the outsiders’—which can describe every major character in the story in one way or another.”

—Susanne Alleyn, historian

PHOTOGRAPH: “BRING HIM HOME” - NICK CARTELL AS ‘JE AN VALJE AN' IN THE NE W NATIONAL TOUR OF LES MISÉRABLES. PHOTO BY MAT THE W MURPHY.

FEBRUARY 11–23, 2020

PHOTOGRAPHS: THE COMPANY OF LES MISÉRABLES PERFORMS “MASTER OF THE HOUSE” WITH J ANTHONY CRANE AS ‘THÉNARDIER’ AND ALLISON GUINN AS ‘MADAME THÉNARDIER.’ PHOTO BY MAT THE W MURPHY. / JILLIAN BUTLER AS ‘COSET TE’ IN THE NE W NATIONAL TOUR OF LES MISÉRABLES. PHOTO BY MAT THE W MURPHY.

ABOUT THE SHOW Cameron Mackintosh presents the new production of Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg’s Tony Award®-winning musical phenomenon, Les Misérables. With its glorious new staging and dazzlingly reimagined scenery inspired by the paintings of Victor Hugo, this breathtaking new production has left both audiences and critics awestruck. Set against the backdrop of 19th-century France, Les Misérables tells an enthralling story of broken dreams and unrequited love, passion, sacrifice and redemption—a timeless testament to the survival of the human spirit. Featuring the thrilling score and beloved songs “I Dreamed A Dream,” “On My Own,” “Stars,” “Bring Him Home,” “One Day More,” and many more, this epic and uplifting story has become one of the most celebrated musicals in theatrical history.

Too often, musicals age with their audience, but in this case, we are the only ones who age while onstage Cosette, Marius, the students’ revolt, and their

Victor Hugo began to think about his novel, Les Misérables, as early as 1829. On the streets of Paris in 1845, he observed an impoverished man being arrested for stealing a loaf of bread, which triggered the novel’s action. As the years passed, Les Misérables evolved as Hugo’s own life experiences shaped his philosophy.

To give the story a sense of journalistic truth, he incorporated personal memories of all kinds. For example, in 1841, he saved a prostitute from arrest for assault. Part of his dialogue with police made its way into the novel when Valjean rescues Fantine. By the time Hugo’s novel was published in 1862, it had become an epic story within a strong framework of history, philoso-

ideas are still as young as ever.

Attending one rehearsal at The Barbican Theatre in 1985— where in front of our eyes was mounted the musical which

exceeded our wildest dreams— Alain said, “I hope that we will still be here in two months.”

Incredibly, almost 35 years later, we still are! z

phy, and political theory.

In spite of negative reaction by critics and the government, which banned it, Les Misérables was an instant success and generated more excitement than any other book in the history of publishing. “All the reviews,” wrote Hugo, “are reactionary and more or less hostile.” Critical opinion had absolutely no effect on public interest and bookshop owners literally battled to buy copies for their customers.

This phenomenon was echoed in 1985, when the musical version of Hugo’s novel opened in London to mostly poor reviews. When producer Cameron Mackintosh, discouraged by the adverse critical response, called the box office, he was greeted by a happily busy ticket salesman.

“I’m amazed you managed to get through,” Mackintosh was told, “the phones haven’t stopped ringing.”

Hugo wrote about his book, “I don’t know if it will be read by everyone, but it is meant for everyone.” As with any work of art which makes a case for social change, the novel acquired many enemies, fearing the social impact of the story. The Vatican even banned the book. A French newspaper wrote at the time that if the ideas of the novel were acknowledged, “no part of the social order would remain standing.”

Nonetheless, Les Misérables has been translated into nearly every language and, during the past century, has become one of the best-selling books in history.

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ESCAPE TO MARGARITAVILLE APRIL 14–19, 2020

LICENSE TO CHILL Escape to Margaritaville tour director Amy Corcoran chats with Kathrine Nero about taking Jimmy Buffett’s music to the Broadway stage

Amy Corcoran: Escape to Margaritaville takes two people at different stages in their lives and looks at how they meet.

One of them, Tully, is incredibly talented, but he doesn’t have the drive. And one of them, Rachel, is incredibly talented and has all the drive, but no ability to relax. And they meet up in a tropical paradise. So you can only imagine what happens.

KN: It’s set on a tropical island, but also a lot of this show is set in Cincinnati.

AC: Yes, so Rachel lives in Cincinnati. Her best friend, Tammy,

is getting married and they are going on their bachelorette weekend to a tropical island.

KN: Why Cincinnati?

AC: Because of the song we all know that’s featured quite prominently in the show—“Fins.”

As the lyric goes, “She came down from Cincinnati…”

KN: What was the inspiration behind the story, and putting the whole show together?

AC: I think Jimmy’s life is a huge part of this story and his idea that everyone would be better off if we just relaxed a little bit.

The secret about Jimmy is that he works hard, but he knows how to make people feel so

ABOUT THE SHOW Welcome to Margaritaville, where people come to get away from it all—and stay to find something they never expected. Get ready for a hilarious and heartwarming musical with the most unforgettable songs from one of music’s greatest storytellers, Jimmy Buffett. Entertainment Weekly raves, "It will knock your flipflops off!" So don't let the party start without you.

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PHOTOGRAPH: MAT THE W MURPHY 2019.

Kathrine Nero: Tell us the story of Margaritaville.

comfortable and have fun. I think the creators of the show wanted to capture as much of that idea—the Jimmy Buffett idea of fun—which we could all learn from. They wanted to make it a true musical, in the sense that it has a beginning, middle, and end—a full story. I think they wanted to make it a story people could care about, with characters you can get behind, and include the great Jimmy Buffett music. That’s very complicated but they did a really great job.

KN: What is the reaction of people when they see this show?

AC: They love it. It’s total joy.

Watching people leave so happy, so full of joy, that’s the best gift we can give our audiences.

PHOTOGRAPH: MAT THE W MURPHY 2019.

KN: Obviously Jimmy Buffett is loved and revered wherever he goes, but for people in Cincinnati, his concert is a very important date on the calendar.

How will the musical be different for Jimmy Buffett fan who might have seen him dozens of times in concert?

AC: This is different because it is a big Broadway musical, with all the things you can expect from a big Broadway musical, a big theatrical event. There are so many Easter eggs for Jimmy’s fans. It’s fun to watch the fans find them. Fans will notice things from songs or things that Jimmy has shared with his fans that are just very specific. But that being said, if you’re not familiar with Jimmy’s music, you’ll still love the show.

There’s a lot more energy in the room when you see this musical than a traditional Broadway musical because of the nature of Jimmy’s music, and also the energy of the fans. There’s this sort of euphoria that when they walk in, they’re like: “This is gonna be a great time!” It’s really fun to watch people who come in very serious all of a sudden get these big smiles on their face as they get into the show.

KN: It goes back to the title, it is escapism.

AC: Total escapism. Which is something we could all use! z B R O A D WAY I N C I N C I N N AT I . C O M

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ANASTASIA

ANASTASIA COSTUMES RAISE THE BAR

By Genevieve Miller Holt Anastasia costume designer Linda Cho and costume builder Eric Winterling have raised the bar on Broadway costumes.

Literally. Some of the dresses they created for the Broadway production of Anastasia are so heavy, a pulley system had to be rigged up at New York’s Broadhurst Theater to lift the more elaborate pieces.

The Broadway production of Anastasia, based on the 1997 animated film about the Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna of Russia, features more than 125 costumes designed by Cho and built in Winterling’s shop.

The costumes in this show are, to quote the New York Observer, “gorgeous, luscious, and lavish.”

At the top of the show, we see Russia’s royal Romanov family in sparkling white gowns and suits, an indication of the family’s grand wealth and stature. “I looked at photographs

and paintings of the royal family,” Cho told Playbill earlier this year. “Tsar Nicholas was an early photography enthusiast, and he took thousands of pictures of his family… There are royal portraits and there have been some costume exhibits, so I looked at the catalogs, and actual clothing at the museums.”

One particularly exquisite look in the show is the Tsarina, who is dressed in a sparkling ensemble that weighs 50 pounds, including a stunning 8-inch tall crown. The costume is so heavy, it has to be stored on the stage level because it can’t be transported up and down stairs. “Historically, the Tsarina would have been the most dazzling,” Cho told Playbill. “And that real gown was covered in real diamonds and pearls. Historically, that dress would have been worth $10 million.”

Winterling notes that the

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show’s version of the dress “is intricate.” He adds, “It has 10 different kinds of trims, five different fabrics, including silver lace over a pink brocade. There are Swarovski crystals, swan’s down, beaded appliques, and fabric with real metal in it, that’s actually cold to the touch. It’s a dress that’s appropriate for the Tsarina.”

He notes that in theatre costuming, there’s a delicate balance between historical accuracy and practicality. “We have to respect the history because we have pictures; that’s what we studied in order to make this.

This was a real person. But the modern sensibility is that it’s eight shows a week. It is a theatrical costume and so we have to make sure it’s resilient, that the stones stay on, that nothing falls off and that it lasts.”

Following the early scenes featuring the Romonov family,

PHOTOGRAPH: LIL A COOGAN (ANYA) AND THE COMPANY OF THE NATIONAL TOUR OF ANASTASIA. PHOTO BY E VAN ZIMMERMAN, MURPHYMADE.

MAY 12–24, 2020

PHOTOGRAPHS: EDWARD STAUDENMAYER (VL AD) , LIL A COOGAN (ANYA) , STEPHEN BROWER (DMITRY) AND THE COMPANY OF THE NATIONAL TOUR OF ANASTASIA. PHOTO BY E VAN ZIMMERMAN, MURPHYMADE. / LIL A COOGAN (ANYA) , STEPHEN BROWER (DMITRY) AND THE COMPANY OF THE NATIONAL TOUR OF ANASTASIA. PHOTO BY E VAN ZIMMERMAN, MURPHYMADE.

the timeline of the show moves on. “It’s a period change,” notes Winterling. “It goes from the 1910s to the ’20s to the early ’30s, which means there was a lot of research involved. As time moves on, dress foundations are not as structured, there’s a lot more dancing. The ’20s were the Jazz Age, so something on every dress needs to create movement.”

While Cho and Winterling took inspiration from historical record and the film, they also had the opportunity to invent, change and recreate styles to make maximum impact. But on one particular costume, they ended up having to take some direction from the original film’s enthusiastic fans.

Just as Disney’s Frozen has its legion of young girls who can belt out “Let It Go,” the original animated Anastasia film captured the imagination of a generation of girls (now women) for whom the song “Journey to the Past” is a lifelong favorite and the central character is as beloved as any princess in pop culture. Those fans, dubbed “Fanastasias” have a special place in their hearts for the original film.

When Anastasia had its pre-Broadway tryout in Hartford, CT, Cho and Winterling had designed a elegant light pink dress for a scene where Anastasia attends a ballet at the Paris Opera. But they soon learned that for fans of the original film, Anastasia’s blue dress in that scene represented her transformation into a regal version of herself, and they missed seeing that visual come to life onstage.

ABOUT THE SHOW Inspired by the beloved films, the romantic and adventure-filled new musical Anastasia is on a journey to Cincinnati at last. From the Tony Award®-winning creators of the Broadway classic Ragtime, this dazzling show transports us from the twilight of the Russian Empire to the euphoria of Paris in the 1920s, as a brave young woman sets out to discover the mystery of her past. Pursued by a ruthless Soviet officer determined to silence her, Anya enlists the aid of a dashing conman and a lovable ex-aristocrat.

Together, they embark on an epic adventure to help her find home, love, and family. Anastasia features a book by celebrated playwright Terrence McNally, a lush new score by Stephen Flaherty (music) and Lynn Ahrens (lyrics) with direction by Tony Award® winner Darko Tresnjak.

“The Fanastasias, they wanted a blue dress,” says Winterling, “because in the animated feature she’s in a blue dress. So we had to hurry up and make a blue gown before Broadway.”

It’s an important dress for an important scene, he notes. “She goes to the ballet and is presenting herself as royalty to meet up with her grandmother. She has

to look like a Russian princess.

The dress has a wonderful sequin fabric that’s done in an art deco design. It has a chiffon overlay and then we’ve strung all these beads together on fishing line so they don’t break. Then she has this big, fantastic cape in the back. This dress has a beautiful glitter tulle, which really makes the dress and makes her into a princess.”

Winterling believes costumes are key to telling the story.

“Costumes tell the who, what, where. They have to tell a story.

It doesn’t have to tell the whole story, but we need to get a sense of “Are we in Russia?” or “Are we in Paris?” Is the person royal or is the person poor?

There’s all sorts of things that when we see someone we need to be able to instantly identify where they are. You have people from the Russian countryside.

We have vintage furs, which is a display of wealth, for the women in Paris. There are Bolshevik uniforms for the Russian Revolution. It’s a big story to tell.” z

B R O A D WAY I N C I N C I N N AT I . C O M

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JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR JUNE 9–21, 2020

FROM CONCEPT ALBUM ROOTS, SUPERSTAR’S LEGACY CONTINUES Believe it or not, theatrical juggernaut Jesus Christ Superstar wasn’t actually written to be a stage musical. It started as a rock concept album, because while creators Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice—just 23 and 26 years old in 1970, and fresh off the success of their Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat—loved the idea of doing it as a stage show, they didn’t think anyone would produce it.

“Jesus Christ Superstar, from the onset, was written as a rock album, because nobody was interested in producing it for the

theatre,” said composer Andrew Lloyd Webber in a documentary.

“We were primarily making a rock album.”

Superstar is loosely based on the Gospels of the New Testament. As a teen, lyricist Tim Rice had the idea for a show that retold the life of Jesus from the perspective of Judas Iscariot.

“From a very young age,” Rice said in his autobiography, “I had wondered what I might have done in the situations in which Pontius Pilate and Judas found themselves. How were they to know Jesus would be accorded divine status by millions and that

ABOUT THE SHOW In celebration of its 50th Anniversary, a new mesmerizing production of Jesus Christ Superstar comes to North America. Originally staged by London’s Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, this production won the 2017 Olivier Award for Best Musical Revival garnering unprecedented reviews and accolades. Appealing to both theater audiences and concert music fans, this production pays tribute to the historic 1971 Billboard Album of the Year while creating a modern, theatrical world that is uniquely fresh and inspiring. With music and lyrics by Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony® winners Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, Jesus Christ Superstar is set against the backdrop of an extraordinary series of events during the final weeks in the life of Jesus Christ as seen through the eyes of Judas. Reflecting the rock roots that defined a generation, the legendary score includes “I Don’t Know How to Love Him,” “Gethsemane,” and “Superstar.”

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they would as a result be condemned down the ages?" The story begins late in the action, just as Jesus enters Jerusalem in the days leading up to his crucifixion. The characters include Herod, Mary Magdalene, Pontius Pilate, and the disciples.

Producing Superstar as a concept album—incidentally released on the same record label that had done The Who’s Tommy the year prior—gave the piece a quicker pace, more energy, and made it more “rock,” said Rice in a documentary. “Doing it that way ’round worked so well, because in addition to making the work itself better, [the record] promoted the work so well, so that when it finally hit the stage, everyone knew the entire score.”

But upon its first release, reception for the album in the U.K. was lukewarm. Young audiences saw the subject matter as uncool; older audiences feared it would be disrespectful. But when the record was released in the U.S., it took off across the pond, going to No. 1 on the Billboard chart and selling 3 million copies.

When the record met with such popular fervor in the U.S., illegal staged concert perfor-

PHOTOGRAPH: E VAN ZIMMERMAN, MURPHYMADE.

By Genevieve Miller Holt

precedent to stop anyone.” So Lloyd Webber, Rice, and their team rushed to get their own official arena tour launched, starting in Pittsburgh in 1971 and visiting 54 cities, and then set their sights on Broadway.

The show opened in October of 1971 and broke records for advance ticket sales. Neither Tim Rice nor Andrew Lloyd Webber were overly pleased with the production, which closed in 1973. But the subsequent stage adaptation in London was a huge success, becoming the longest running musical in the West End. The film adaptation came out just a year later and ended up grossing $24.5 million at the box office.

Since that initial success, Jesus Christ Superstar has enjoyed many revivals and adaptations, including 2018’s live telecast on NBC. But in 2016, a truly singular new production was staged

by London’s Regent’s Park Open Air Theater. Called “an almighty revelation” by the Daily Telegraph, this production won the Olivier Award for best musical revival, and now heads out on a North American tour this fall, coming to the Aronoff in June 2020.

Looking back on the show now, Andrew Lloyd Webber credits the show’s origin as a concept album for its pacing and its success. “It goes from A to B in a really straight line.

Never drops the narrative.

Never wallows. It’s so concise.”

The show’s unlikely path to the stage made it one of the most buzzed about shows of the early ’70s, and a classic that feels as fresh and compelling today as it did then. z

PHOTOGRAPHS: E VAN ZIMMERMAN, MURPHYMADE.

mances starting popping up all over the country. “Opportunist producers saw a fantastic opportunity to quickly cash in on our album’s runaway success,” noted Lloyd Webber in his autobiography, Unmasked. “There had never been a through-sung dramatic piece that could be produced in concert quite like this before.

Consequently there was no legal

B R O A D WAY I N C I N C I N N AT I . C O M

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THE BOOK OF MORMON AUGUST 4–9, 2020

THE GENESIS OF THE BOOK OF MORMON A Q&A with creators Trey Parker, Matt Stone, and Bobby Lopez

Trey Parker: Matt and I went to see Avenue Q when it opened in 2003, and we were like, “Wow, this is really good.” I was thinking, “This is exactly the kind of thing I’ve always dreamed about doing.”

Matt Stone: During intermission, we saw that we were thanked in the Playbill. “Well,” we thought, “that’s weird.”

Bobby Lopez: That’s because I saw the South Park movie when it opened in 1999, and I just thought, “Oh my God, this is exactly what I want to be doing.”

A week after that, the idea came to me for Avenue Q. TP: It happened purely by coincidence that Bobby showed up that night.

MS: We asked what he wanted to do next, and he said, “I want to write something about Joseph Smith and the Mormons.”

BL: When I said Joseph Smith, they were like, “We’ve wanted to do that, too!” They had it in their heads to do some kind of Joseph Smith musical, but never did.

TP: It just became ridiculously obvious that we should team up and do something about Mormons.

ABOUT THE SHOW The Washington Post says, “It is the kind of evening that restores your faith in musicals.” Entertainment Weekly says, “Grade A: the funniest musical of all time.” Jimmy Fallon of The Tonight Show calls it “Genius. Brilliant. Phenomenal.” It’s The Book of Mormon, the nine-time Tony Award®-winning Best Musical. This outrageous musical comedy follows the misadventures of a mismatched pair of missionaries, sent halfway across the world to spread the Good Word. Now with standing room only productions in London, on Broadway, and across North America, The Book of Mormon has truly become an international sensation. Contains explicit language.

Did you have any musical theater influences in writing the show?

TP: There’s a lot of Rodgers and Hammerstein references in the show, because that’s what it feels like to me. When you’re doing this sort of happy-go-lucky, optimistic Mormon, it just plays right into it. For the second act pageant, “Joseph Smith American Moses,” we always thought it would be so awesome to do our own version of “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” from The King and I. We went back and watched the “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” sequence.

It was really long but it told such a huge story. So we were like, “Let’s follow The King and I, and really make it clear that the story has a much deeper and profound meaning to the Africans.”

BL: When we were writing “Mak-

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ing Things Up Again,” the first number in the second act, we had just seen Sunday in the Park with George. I think Trey was sort of influenced by it, which is weird because I consider myself the Sondheim freak out of everyone. Trey just sat down and started plunking out this Georges Seurat–like rhythm, which became the whole motif for “You’re making things up again, Arnold.”

Are there boundaries in what you can do or say on stage?

TP: There is a line that you can cross all you want as long as you have a reason for doing it. If it has a point and it has a story and it has genuine, real character and emotion, then you can pretty much do whatever you want, as long as you’re being truthful. z

PHOTOGRAPH: THE BOOK OF MORMON COMPANY - THE BOOK OF MORMON (C) JULIETA CERVANTES, 2017

How did you come up with the idea for The Book of Mormon?

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